In a heartfelt maiden speech, newly elected New Democrat MP Leila Dance expressed gratitude to her constituents for sending a single mother to Parliament, while highlighting urgent economic struggles facing Canadian families. Blacklock's Reporter says Dance, who represents Elmwood-Transcona in Winnipeg, thanked her community and shared her own journey as a single mother who bought her first home at 24 — a reality she noted is now out of reach for many young Canadians.“It’s a true honour to take my place in this chamber, an honour that I don’t take for granted,” Dance said, her voice wavering with emotion. She shared the memory of her father, Bill, who passed away in 2008 after nearly 40 years as a rail worker, a loss that deeply shaped her values and commitment to her community.Dance described her life-long connection to Elmwood-Transcona, where she raised her son in the same neighborhood she grew up in. Her son now holds a trades job but, like many young people, faces an economy where affordable homeownership feels out of reach. “Now as my son enters adulthood… he can’t see that possibility in this economy,” she said.Throughout her campaign, Dance heard from constituents about the rising cost of living, with many struggling to afford basic necessities. “For months I knocked on doors, I listened to their concerns,” she said. “Over and over the same things came up—the exorbitant cost of groceries. People in my riding have been forced to choose between groceries and their prescriptions.”Dance highlighted the impact on food banks, which are seeing record numbers of families in need. “In some cases, these are families with two incomes, those who have never accessed food banks before,” she said. “We even had one woman who donated just last year to the food bank and this year is now accessing it.”She called for immediate action from the government to support struggling families, rejecting what she described as “pathetic slogans and runaround answers.” Dance underscored the need for real solutions, particularly for youth and seniors, and for the government to deliver meaningful relief.“We need action,” Dance said. “Our youth continue to struggle, our seniors continue to struggle. Families need relief.”
